The present invention relates generally to inflatable passive restraint systems for use in automotive vehicles, and more particularly to an improved passenger side inflatable cushion or airbag having an irregular shape for overlying, when inflated, an A pillar of a vehicle.
Automotive vehicle passive restraint systems are now widely employed in vehicles for restraining the movement of a seated occupant during a collision. The majority of these occupant restraint systems now incorporate inflatable bags or cushions (commonly referred to as "airbags"). In such airbag systems, one or more inflatable bags or cushions are stored in a folded condition in storage areas within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Upon actuation, such as upon a collision of the vehicle, the airbags or cushions are rapidly inflated and deployed into the vehicle passenger compartment.
This rapid inflation is effected by filling or inflating the airbags or cushions using gases generated by, or release from, an inflator unit. Such inflator units may use one of several systems for rapidly generating a quantity of gas for filling or inflating the bag or cushion. The inflated bag or cushion thus acts as a protective barrier between the passenger and interior vehicle surfaces, in effect cushioning any impact of the occupant and dispersing the force of the occupant's movement in the event of collision.
In most cases, the driver side airbag or cushion is stored in the vehicle steering wheel, while the passenger side bag or cushion is stored within the vehicle dashboard immediately in front of the front passenger seating area. Both of these airbags are designed to have their maximum effect in the event of a forward impact upon the vehicle.
In the event of an angular impact upon the vehicle, particularly from the passenger side, the passenger may be better protected from impact with the A pillar of the automobile by a cushion which when inflated is somewhat irregular in shape so as to provide additional cushioning between the passenger and the A pillar. It is an object of this invention to provide such an inflatable bag or cushion.